In this product guide:
- 1. Cushioned trainer with gait control: Asics Kayano 31
- 2. Cushioned trainer with gait control: New Balance Vongo V6
- 3. Daily trainer with gait control: New Balance 860V14
- 4. Everyday trainer with a stable ride: Saucony Guide 18
- 5. Supportive everyday trainer: Asics GT-2000 13
- 6. Supportive marathon racer: adidas adios Pro 3
- 7. Affordable stability trainer: Asics GT-1000 13
- How did we select
What is the one thing that every overpronator-friendly running shoe needs to have?
It’s a midsole that is more supportive on the inner (arch) side than the outer side. During overpronation, the foot tends to roll inwards. If a midsole is too mushy, it will lose structure and collapse when loaded.
The Kayano 31 combines three design features to minimize overpronation. The midsole has a more supportive inner wall and an easier-to-compress outer side. The channel under the heel is sloped towards the outer side, and that also directs the loading in that direction.
For this year’s model, Asics uses a brand-new Flytefoam Blast midsole that’s cushioned yet supportive. A soft footbed and lasting add a layer of step-in comfort.
The snug-fitting upper has an excellent fit and interior plushness. This shoe also sells in an optional wide and extra-wide.
The Asics Kayano 31 is also available in a wide and extra-wide.
The Asics Flytefoam last - cushioned, yet firm and supportive.
- Asics’s marketing pitch: Stability never felt like this.
- Upper: Engineered spacer mesh, inner gusset.
- Midsole: Flytefoam Blast+ foam, heel Gel unit. 10 mm heel drop.
- Outsole: Hybrid Asicsgrip rubber.
- Weight: 305 gms/ 10.7 Oz for a half pair of Men’s US 9/UK 8/EUR 42.5/CM 27.
- Stack heights: 40 mm (heel), 30 mm (forefoot).
- Available widths: D – regular (reviewed), 2E (wide), 4E (extra-wide).
- Previous model: Asics Kayano 30.
- Country of origin: Vietnam.
- Recommended use: Everyday training, tempo runs, marathons.
- Footstrike orientation: Heel, midfoot/forefoot (full contact).
- Median lifespan: 450 miles.
- Recommended paces: Slower than 4:00 min/km (6:30 min/mile).
- Recommended temperature range: Warmer than -5° C/23° F.
Pros
- Effective motion control
- Long-distance comfort
- Efficient transitons, versatile
- Outsole grip
- Plush and secure fit
- Optional widths
Cons
- Heavy
Also consider:
- Brooks Glycerin 21 GTS
- New Balance Vongo V6
- Mizuno Wave Horizon 7
- Hoka Gaviota 5
- Use the Asics Kayano 31 for daily training (including uptempo) and long runs
- Use the adidas Takumi 10 for interval training
- Use the adidas adios Pro 3 for marathons
What sets the Vongo apart from other stability shoes is a plate that is sandwiched between the two midsole layers.
When viewed from the top (and longitudinally), this plate is solid on the inner half and perforated on the other half. This means that the outer plate is easier to flex when loaded, whereas the inner midsole ends up more resistant. Simply put, the outer midsole is softer than the inner half.
The foam on top of the plate is softer, whereas the base is firmer. The softer foam allows the plate to work as intended; the firmer layer underneath makes the ride supportive.
This is an interesting – and novel – replacement for a medial post. Whether runners will truly benefit from this is debatable, but the Vongo V6 gets the sensory aspect down pat. It’s worth noting that the plate on the Vongo is longer (on the outer midsole) than the 860V14.
The snug upper does its part in securing the foot, and there are optional widths as well – wide and extra-wide.
The 860V14 has been updated for this year with a Vongo-like midsole. Like the Vongo, the midsole features a plate that New Balance calls the ‘stability plane’. This plate is solid on the inner (arch) side, whereas the outer half has cut-outs for flexibility.
This geometry makes the inner plate stiffer than the outer side. So in a way, it works like a medial post. The more flexible outer plate makes the midsole easier to compress. This gives the 860V14’s cushioning a slight touch of motion control.
Just like the Vongo, the midsole above the plate is softer to allow the ‘stability plane’ to work effectively. The Fresh Foam midsole has ample cushioning for everyday miles, and the added stiffness from the plate adds versatility.
The soft and true-to-size upper is available in three optional widths.
- New Balance’s marketing pitch: Built for reliability over the long haul.
- Upper: Engineered mesh, tongue gusset.
- Upper fit: True-to-size with loose forefoot.
- Midsole: Dual-density Fresh Foam, perforated ‘stability plane’ plate. 8 mm drop.
- Outsole: Harder rubber under the heel with softer forefoot blown foam.
- Weight: 306 gms/ 10.8 Oz for a half pair of Men’s US 9/UK 8.5/EUR 42.5/CM 27.
- Stack heights: 36 mm (rear), 28 mm (forefoot).
- Available widths: D – regular (reviewed), 2E – wide.
- Previous model: New Balance 860 v13.
- Country of origin: Vietnam.
- Recommended use: Everyday training, half-marathons.
- Footstrike orientation: Heel, midfoot/forefoot (full contact).
- Median lifespan: 400 miles.
- Recommended paces: 4:30 min/km (7:00 min/mile) and slower
- Recommended temperature range: Warmer than -0° C/32° F.
Pros
- Effective pronation control
- Ride comfort
- Outsole grip
- Plush and breathable upper
- Optional 2E width, reflectivity
Cons
- None worth mentioning
Unlike the Ride 18, the Guide 18’s midsole foam hasn’t switched to Pwrrun+. It’s still EVA foam, just like the Guide 17. Only the footbed is made of Pwrrun+ (expanded PU) foam.
Both the Guide 17 and 18 share the same midsole and outsole, so there’s no change in how the shoe feels under the foot.
What exactly, makes the Guide 18 a stability shoe?
The Guide 18 is a stability shoe, yes, but not a gait-corrective kind. For example, it lacks the lateral/outer cushioning bias that the Asics Kayano 31 and GT-2000 13 have.
The Saucony Guide 18 follows a simple formula to add ride stability. The ultra-wide midsole creates a supportive foundation for the foot.
Two, the raised sidewalls frame the foot by creating a ‘cupping’ action. Lastly, a plush upper secures the foot over this foam ‘cup’. By the way, the G-18 is also available in a wide and extra-wide option. The Guide 18’s true-to-size upper fits tighter and shorter than the 17 due to the (more) padded heel.
The Guide 18 doesn’t try to control the gait. What it has in spades is midsole stability that prevents the foot from rolling inwards – or outwards. That makes the Guide 18 suitable not only for overpronators, but for supinators as well. This midsole is cushioned enough for up to a half-marathon.
The outsole uses rubber only in strategic areas to help the shoe achieve a 9.6 ounces (272 grams) weight.
The previous shoe on this list – the Guide 17 – behaves a lot differently than the GT-2000 13. The Saucony Guide uses a wide midsole with raised sidewalls to keep the foot centered, and that’s the extent of its pronation control mechanism.
The GT-2000 13 does things differently. It behaves like a milder version of the Kayano 31.
The key to managing overpronation is to prevent the inner midsole from losing its structural integrity during runs. Overpronators roll their arch excessively over the inner midsole, and that’s where the GT-2000 13 proves useful.
The inner midsole is more resistant to compression than the outer side. There’s other way to look at it – the outer midsole is easier to compress because of the groove running down its sides.
While heel strikers will be happy with the quality of pronation management, they won’t find the experience intrusive.
The pronation control happens in the background, so the overall impression one gets of the GT-2000 is that it’s a cushioned trainer for all occasions. It’s an ounce lighter than the Kayano 31, so it’s more versatile – particularly during tempo runs.
During recovery runs, the soft Ortholite footbed and foam lasting provide step-in comfort. At 4:00 min/km (6:30 min/mile) speeds, the firm yet responsive Flytefoam Blast+ kicks in.
When running a half-marathon, the thick midsole (36.5 mm and 28.5 mm stack) delivers cushioning comfort for the long haul. The outsole grip isn’t great on wet roads, though.
Popular Asics shoes like the Novablast 4 have a narrow forefoot. No so for the GT-2000; the forefoot is secure but isn’t narrow. The toe-box is spacious as well. The heel has a plush lock-in, and fit is true-to-size.
In short, the upper fit is well proportioned. Additional widths (wide and extra-wide) are also available.
- Asics’s marketing pitch:Lightweight stability in every step.
- Upper: Engineered mesh, inner gusset.
- Midsole: Flytefoam Blast+ foam, heel Gel unit. 8 mm heel drop.
- Outsole: AHAR Lo carbon rubber.
- Weight: 275 gms/ 9.7 Oz for a half pair of Men’s US 9/UK 8/EUR 42.5/CM 27.
- Stack heights: 36.5 mm (heel), 28.5 mm (forefoot).
- Available widths: D – regular (reviewed), 2E (wide), 4E (extra-wide).
- Previous model: Asics GT-2000 12
- Country of origin: Indonesia.
- Recommended use: Everyday training, tempo runs, half-marathons.
- Footstrike orientation: Heel, midfoot/forefoot (full contact).
- Median lifespan: 450 miles.
- Recommended paces: Slower than 4:00 min/km (6:30 min/mile).
- Recommended temperature range: Warmer than -5° C/23° F.
Pros
- Versatile ride comfort for everyday runs to a half-marathon
- Upper fit is just right
- Improved Flytefoam Blast+ foam
- Pronation control is non-intrusive
- Optional wide, extra-wide sizes
Cons
- Average grip on wet roads
- Lack of reflective trims
Most ‘supershoes’ use a soft PEBA foam or equivalent, so the midsole stability is often lacking. For example, shoes like the Nike Vaporfly 3 and Saucony Endorphin Speed 4 are terrible for overpronators.
The adidas adios Pro 3 is cut from a different cloth, or should we say, foam. The Lightstrike Pro foam is a denser material that does a better job of supporting the foot than Nike ZoomX and Saucony Pwrrun PB.
It’s worth mentioning that the adios Pro 3 isn’t a stability shoe per se. Rather, it’s a supportive shoe for most gait patterns.
There’s more to the adios Pro 3 than its supportive midsole. The ‘Energy Rods’ inside the bouncy Lightstrike Pro midsole give the Adios Pro its speed manners. The grip is excellent too, thanks to the Continental outsole rubber.
The GT-1000 13 has a mild motion-control character. There is a slight cushioning bias that favors the outer midsole, and that’s why this model features on this guide. The midsole geometry gets you a firmer inner midsole and softer outer sidewall.
Just like the GT-2000 12, the channel under the heel is sloped to make the inner midsole firmer.
If you’re unfamiliar with Asics’s stability shoe lineup, know that the GT-1000 is part of the Kayano/GT-2000/GT-1000 lineup. The Kayano 31 is the premium stability trainer (and the most expensive), followed by the GT-2000 12 and lastly the 1000.
How we selected
Let us guess. You’re here because you probably had a ‘gait analysis’ done at a shoe store and were advised to wear running shoes that ‘correct’ your pronation.
Or you read something about overpronation on the internet, so you landed on this page to do further research before finally deciding which shoe to buy.
But let’s make it clear upfront – the so-called stability running shoes will not ‘cure’ or even correct your overpronation. Everyone pronates; this inward-rolling movement is a naturally occurring component of the gait cycle. The only difference is that a certain population of runners roll in a lot more than others.
A medial post.
To counter the exaggerated movement, the ‘medial post’ was invented a few decades ago. This is a firmer wedge of foam on the inner midsole. The underlying theory was that the harder inner midsole prevents the foot from rolling excessively inwards.
It sounded great on paper and made sense in the 70s and 80s. Back then, running shoes had blown EVA foam midsoles that compacted quickly and lost their structure within a few months. We discussed this topic in detail in one of our 2015 shoe reviews.
In short, modern-day stability running shoes with a medial post are redundant. Perhaps vintage stability shoes were partially effective, but then those were ugly-looking beasts with oversized medial posts. Now that’s a medial post.
The ‘Guiderails’ of the Brooks Adrenaline GTS.
Midsole foams have come of age, so even neutral shoes are supportive enough.
To nobody’s surprise, recent traditional stability shoe updates have evolved into supportive neutrals. The New Balance Vongo V6 and Kayano 31 are good examples of running shoes that have adopted a ‘supportive neutral’ midsole design.
So if traditional overpronation-control shoes are a relic of the past, then why does this buyer’s guide exist?
Not all shoes are suitable for overpronators. Notice how the Vaporfly 3’s midsole collapses during overpronation.
Many modern midsoles are made of soft super-foams. Some of these shoes perform poorly during an overpronated gait. To prevent this from happening, overpronation-friendly running shoes need to be supportive on the inner side – which the shoes on this guide are.